Vegetable Science

Faculty

University

Department of Vegetable Science At a glance

College of Horticulture
BANDA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY, BANDA-210001
UTTAR PRADESH

OVER VIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT

Department of Vegetable Science is one of the important department in the College of Horticulture and it came into existence in the year 2011. M.Sc. (Horti.) programme in the discipline of Vegetable Science was started during the year 2018 while Ph.D. programme in 2020. Total number of students awarded M.Sc. (Hort.) degree in Vegetable Science till 2023-24 is 24, while the total number of students awarded Ph.D. degree till 2023-24 is 02. This department focuses on a broad range of areas, including crop improvement, crop production, biotic and abiotic stress, grafting techniques, organic vegetable production and standardizing high tech vegetable production under protected cultivation.

VISION

To emerge as a global centre of excellence in teaching, research and extension in agriculture and allied sciences in the country to ensure sustained healthy food, nutrition and livelihood security.

MISSION

The university is committed to the cause of Indian agriculture through its quality teaching, demand-driven and location-specific research and extension programmes in the light of dynamism of socio-economic and agro ecological conditions, management perceptions, international trade scenarios and government policies.

OBJECTIVES

Technological backstopping to Department of Horticulture in Bundelkhand for:

Increasing vegetable productivity from 150.0 q/ha to 200 q/ha (25% increase).
Increasing area under vegetable crops from 5.0 % to 10.0% of total cultivated area.
Diversification of vegetable crops from a single green pea crop.
Increasing area & production of seed spices, red chillies, kharif onion, garlic, ginger and turmeric.
Increasing area under organic vegetables, rainy season vegetables and vegetable production through drip fertigation and mulching.

Skill development of rural peasantry in vegetable, vegetable seed and seedling production for livelihood and employment generation to mitigate seasonal migration.
Making vegetable and spice cultivation more remunerative and profitable enterprise through technological interventions.

STRATEGIES

Evolution and identification of stress tolerant varieties/hybrids in important vegetable and spice crops.
Efficacy assessments of resource conservation technologies viz., drip fertigation, mulching, inter-cropping, application of weedicides and biopesticides etc.
Development of off-season/kharif vegetable technologies for higher profitability.
Development of package of practices for nutraceutically important minor leafy (purslane, basella, amaranth, vegetable mustard etc.) and perennial vegetables (pointed gourd, ivy gourd, sweet & spine gourds, moringa).
Quality seed production of suitable varieties of commercial vegetable crops.
Organization of vocational courses in off-season/protected vegetable cultivation, seed & seedling production and precision farming in vegetable crops.

THRUST AREA OF RESEARCH

Survey, Collection, characterization and consevation of economically important vegetable crops.
Standardization of agro-techniques for the cultivation of vegetable crops in different areas of Bundelkhand region.
Development of superior hybrids and varieties of commercial vegetables
Standardization of techniques and hybrids/varieties for protected cultivation of vegetables.
Quality seed production of vegetables.
Diversifying traditional vegetable production with rare/exotic vegetables, spice crops and underutilized vegetables for more income generation.
Developing package of practices for vegetable cultivation based on organic and natural farming systems.

COURSE OFFERED

For undergraduate department offers 08 courses and one experiential learning programme to provides strong academic guidance to the students and the course work with credit load for PG and Ph. D students is mentioned below

PEDAGOGIC PRACTICES

ICT enabled tools (Wi- Fi enabled inter active board & projector).
Internet enabled seminar hall.
Delivering of synopsis of research
Delivering the subject topic through seminar.
Student-advisor interaction on course and research area of work.
ICT facility in the University Library for E-book, e-Journal through J-Gate, e- Journal through CeRA Consortia, Shodh Shidhu and URKUND.

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

PG and Ph.D students of department have consistently outshining in sports, debate, speech and poster making competitions and showcasing their exceptional talents and dedication.
Our students got 1st Prize in poster making , national Hindi debate, speech competition and also received gold medal in volleyball and silver medal in Tug of war.
Total 16 PG and Ph.D students got certificate of participation in tissue culture training programme organised by College of forestry, BUAT, Banda.

ACHIEVEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT

STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENT

Five PG Students got placements in government & private sector as details given below:

Besides above 03 students engaged as Senior Research Fellow and 13 students persuing Ph.D. Degree programme in different State Agriculture Universities of India.

Total 12 Students qualified ICAR NET Examination.
Total 11 Medals received by PG students (04 Vice Chancellor’s Gold Medals, 03Vice Chancellor’s Silver Medals and 04 Vice Chancellor’s Bronze Medals)
One Ph. D student got DST fellowship from Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi.

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

The Department has established a rich germplasm collection of more than 250 varieties in major vegetable crops like Tomato, French Bean, Sponge Gourd, Pea, Pointed Gourd, Spine Gourd, Cow Pea, Okra and Brinjal. This germplasm collection serves as a valuable resource for future breeding programs and genetic conservation efforts.
Ken Swadisht is the first released variety of Sponge Gourd in 2024 from the department of vegetable Science.
Provided consultancy services to the 21 private seed and pesticides based companies till date by testing of their varieties/products/ technologies.

The main research emphasis of the Department are in the fields of genetic crop improvement, assessment of genetic diversity using conventional as well as molecular level, crop production management and bio-chemical/ nutritional studies of different vegetables crop suitable for Bundelkhand region.

PROJECTS (Ongoing and Completed)

FACILITIES

Department have well developed Instructional farm, Centre for Protected Cultivation Technology Unit, Automation Farm and Hi-tech Nursery for Research.
The department has an excellent facility for teaching of various courses in vegetable science as required in U.G., P.G. and Ph.D. degree programme.
Department has one PG class room, one smart class, one study room and one library.
Department offers comprehensive Wi-Fi facilities across the department, providing students, faculty, and staff with high-speed internet access in classrooms, libraries, study areas, and common spaces.
Department well equipped with state-of-the-art UG and PG laboratories designed to support both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

Advisories to farming communities on vegetable production and management.
Participation in Kisan Mela: Showcasing our technologies among farmers & farmer women.
Organization of training programmes on different aspects viz. Poshad vatika, doubling income through scientific cultivation of vegetables and seed production of vegetables to the farming communities under ICAR SC-SP plan.
Providing technical knowhow/knowladge to the visiting farmers, extension functionaries of line department and students of different agriculture universities/college/schools under exposure visit programme to our department/units.